Costa Rica has been a country without an army since 1948.In the aftermath of a six-week civil war, the provisional government of José Figueres Ferrer disbanded the national army and converted the main barracks into a museum. The Constituent Assembly enshrined this decision in Article 12 of the 1949 Constitution. No independent state had ever gone this far before. Since then, security has been maintained by civilian police forces and international law.
Why is Costa Rica a country without an army?
Costa Rica has made peace its hallmark. It all began in 1948 when this small Latin American country decided to abolish its army and enshrine this decision in its constitution—a world first…“Some people think we’re vulnerable because we don’t have an army. It’s exactly the opposite. It is precisely because we have no army that we are strong.”So says Óscar Arias Sánchez, former Costa Rican president and 1987 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who is part of a half-century-old tradition of pacifism.
Don Pepe’s Revolt
Costa Rica has been a country without an army since the civil war of 1948. On February 8 of that year, the presidential elections were marred by electoral fraud: initially, telegrams declared Otilio Ulate Blanco, the opposition candidate, the winner. Congress, composed mainly of members close to the incumbent government, declared the ruling party’s candidate, Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, the winner.
The problem: verification was impossible since the ballots had gone up in smoke in a mysterious fire —one that remains unsolved to this day.
A coffee planter turned political leader, José Figueres Ferrer, known as “Don Pepe,” then took up arms. His force,the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (National Liberation Army), prevailed after six weeks of fighting that left about a thousand dead. Contrary to what is often reported, the Legión del Caribe was not this army: it was a network of exiles from Central America and the Caribbean that supported the insurrection from Guatemala.
The Decisive Blow of December 1, 1948
Don Pepe led a provisional government for 18 months, long enough to establish democracy. Among his most significant measures was the outright abolition of the army by a decree-law dated December 1, 1948—a first for an independent country! On that day, he went to the Bellavista barracks in the capital, San José, climbed a ladder, and struck the walls with a sledgehammer: the gesture was so symbolic that it still adorns the 10,000-colón banknotes today. He also donated the barracks—which the country no longer needed—to the university, which would transform it… into a national museum!
Article 12 of the 1949 Constitution
The decision became irreversible on October 31, 1949, when the National Constituent Assembly approved Article 12 of the new Constitution: it prohibited the military as a permanent institution. The text stipulates that the State shall have at its disposal the police forces necessary to maintain order. Military forces may be organized only by international agreement or for national defense, and remain subordinate to civilian authority.
In 2017, UNESCO inscribed two documents related to this abolition—held by the National Archives of Costa Rica—on the Memory of the World Register. Since 1986, an executive decree has designated December 1 as Army Abolition Day, which is commemorated throughout the country.
| Date | Event | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 1948 | Presidential election annulled by Congress | Starting point of the civil war |
| March–April 1948 | Victory of the National Liberation Army | Approximately 1,000 deaths in six weeks |
| October 11, 1948 | Decree No. 749 abolishing the standing army | Founding legal act |
| December 1, 1948 | Ceremony at the Bellavista Barracks, San José | Barracks transferred to the Museo Nacional |
| October 31, 1949 | Adoption of Article 12 of the Constitution | Abolition enshrined in the Constitution |
| November 17, 1983 | Proclamation of perpetual and unarmed neutrality | Diplomatic doctrine of President Luis Alberto Monge |
| 1987 | Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Óscar Arias Sánchez | Peace Plan for Central America |
| 2017 | Inclusion in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register | International Heritage Recognition |
A Budget Dedicated to Education and Health
The constitution adopted in 1949 formalized the abolition of the army as a permanent institution. In place of the army, law enforcement has handled just about everything for the past 60 years: it is responsible for criminal investigations, public safety, law enforcement, border security, and the fight against drug trafficking, which has surged in recent years.
The military budget has been redirected to other causes. According to the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, the elimination of military spending makes it possible each year to fund three hospitals and… all of the country’s public universities! In these two areas—education and health—Costa Rica boasts statistics that are highly enviable for Latin America: the literacy rate stands at 97%, and life expectancy is 80 years.
How should we respond to threats?
Abolishing an army when surrounded by countries plagued by violent conflicts—as was the case in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua in 1985—is a courageous decision, to say the least. But it received widespread support from the population, 90% of whom opposed the return of the military in a poll conducted during that turbulent period in Latin America. More recently, between 2010 and 2013, Nicaragua took possession of Portillos Island, a small 3-square-kilometer island that marks the border at the mouth of the San Juan River.
Costa Rica, viewing this as a violation of its territory, turned to the International Court of Justice, which ruled in its favor. An end to the intimidation.
To protect itself, Costa Rica has also signed non-aggression pacts and protection agreements. In the event of a conflict, it could receive support from the United States or Brazil within the Organization of American States, created to ensure among its members “an order of peace and justice .” Since then, it has inspired its neighbors to follow suit, such as Panama, which abolished its army in 1994.
The Champion of Peace
Costa Rica has thus become a champion of peace. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights was established in San José in 1979. So did UPEACE a year later—the University for Peace envisioned by Rodrigo Carazo Odio, who led the country from 1978 to 1982, and endorsed by the UN.
Its objective?“To foster among all human beings a spirit of understanding, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples, and to help reduce obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in accordance with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations.”
Another Costa Rican president, Óscar Arias Sánchez, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. That year, his draft peace treaty was signed by El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—all of which were ravaged by armed conflicts.
Capitalizing on his international prestige, in 1996 he brought together Nobel Peace Prize laureates, including Amnesty International, who a year later issued a call for a code of conduct on international arms transfers, supported by numerous NGOs. This effort led to the Arms Trade Treaty adopted by the UN in 2013. Costa Rica, however, still has many battles to fight for peace: in particular, it advocates for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
Who ensures security without armed forces?
The Fuerza Pública and specialized police units
A country without an army is not a country without a police force. The Fuerza Pública, a civilian police force under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security, is responsible for maintaining public order, border surveillance, and community policing. In addition, there are specialized units: the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) for criminal investigations, the Drug Enforcement Police, the Coast Guard, and the tourist police. None of these units has military status.
The current public debate in Costa Rica centers on staffing levels, not on the reinstatement of the army. The Fuerza Pública has fewer than 12,000 officers, a low ratio for a population of 5.2 million. Nevertheless, the country remains the highest-ranked in Central America on the 2026 Global Peace Index, ranking 62nd out of 163 countries worldwide, ahead of all its neighbors on the isthmus.
International Law as a Line of Defense
Without an army, Costa Rica relies on diplomacy rather than force. The clearest example dates back to 2010: Nicaragua militarily occupied a three-square-kilometer area on Isla Portillos, at the mouth of the San Juan River. San José took the matter to the International Court of Justice instead of mobilizing troops.
The International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Costa Rica on December 16, 2015, recognizing its sovereignty over the disputed territory and ordering Nicaragua to pay reparations. A second ruling, issued on February 2, 2018, finalized the boundary and ordered the withdrawal of the Nicaraguan military camp. The dispute was resolved without a single shot being fired.
Proclaimed Neutrality and Regional Alliances
On November 17, 1983, in the midst of the Central American crisis, President Luis Alberto Monge proclaimed Costa Rica’s “perpetual, active, and unarmed” neutrality. The country also relies on the collective mechanisms of the Organization of American States and a network of non-aggression treaties. Panama followed a similar path: its armed forces were disbanded in 1990, and their prohibition was enshrined in the Constitution in 1994.
Education and Health: What the Abolition Has Funded
Social indicators among the best in Latin America
Costa Rica’s national narrative can be summed up in one phrase: “books instead of guns.” The freed-up funds went toward public schools and the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, the social security agency created in 1941 and made universal under Figueres. The results are evident in the statistics. Life expectancy stands at 81 years according to the OECD’s Health at a Glance 2025, which is on par with the average among the organization’s member countries. The literacy rate, meanwhile, exceeds 97%.
TheNicoya Peninsula, ranked among the world’s five “Blue Zones,” illustrates this longevity on a regional scale. This accessible healthcare system also explains why the country continues to attract long-term travelers and European retirees.
A Model Under Strain Today
This story deserves to be told without idealization. Since 2011, Article 78 of the Constitution has required that at least 8% of GDP be allocated to public education—a threshold that has never been met. The share has fallen from about 7.3% in 2020 to just under 5% in the 2026 budget, according to the *Estado de la Educación* report by the *Programa Estado de la Nación*.
Public safety is facing comparable pressures. Costa Rica has become a transit point for cocaine trafficking between Colombia and North America. The OIJ recorded 873 homicides in 2025, nearly seven out of ten of which were linked to feuds between criminal organizations, concentrated in a few urban and port neighborhoods. This violence does not target visitors, but it fuels a national debate over the resources available to the civilian police.
Costa Rica, a Diplomatic Laboratory for Peace
The absence of an army has served as a diplomatic calling card. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights was established in San José in 1979. The following year, the United Nations General Assembly established the University for Peace (UPEACE), championed by President Rodrigo Carazo Odio and located in Ciudad Colón, about thirty kilometers from the capital.
In 1987, President Óscar Arias Sánchez received the Nobel Peace Prize for his plan to resolve conflicts in Central America. The agreement was signed that same year by El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Nine years later, he brought together other Nobel laureates to draft a code of conduct on arms transfers. This initiative would lead to the Arms Trade Treaty, adopted by the UN in 2013.
The same philosophy underpins the country’s environmental policy, which protects more than a quarter of its territory.Ecotourism in Costa Ricathus extends, on an ecological level, a doctrine that originated in 1948.
On the Ground: Places That Tell the Story of a Country Without an Army
The starting point is in San José, in theCentral Valley. The former Cuartel Bellavista, built in 1917, houses theMuseo Nacional de Costa Rica. Bullet holes from 1948 are still visible on the turrets, and the former cells still bear graffiti from that era.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on Sundays). As of April 30, 2026, and until further notice, admission is free on Saturdays and Sundays for all visitors, both nationals and foreigners. Check the hours before visiting: maintenance work may occasionally affect access. The pre-Columbian collections alone are worth the visit, reflectingCosta Rica’s archaeological heritage.
Across from the building lies the Plaza de la Democracia y la Abolición del Ejército, renamed in 2016 when a sculpture by Figueres was installed, depicting him with a child, a little girl, and a sledgehammer. If you’re traveling in early December, Army Abolition Day features school and civic ceremonies: ourCosta Rican cultural calendarlists these highlights. Our guides are happy to incorporate this historical overview into a day in the capital, which is often rushed through on standard tours.
Frequently Asked Questions About Costa Rica, a Country Without an Army
Since when has Costa Rica been without an army?
Since 1948. Decree No. 749 of October 11, 1948, abolished the army as a permanent institution, and the symbolic ceremony on December 1, 1948, marked its public dissolution. Article 12 of the Constitution, approved on October 31, 1949, enshrined the measure in the Constitution.
Is Costa Rica really the first country to have abolished its army?
It is the first independent state to have enshrined the abolition of its army in its Constitution and to have maintained that abolition over the long term. Other territories were already demilitarized, but often by treaty or due to a lack of resources. Costa Rica made this choice voluntarily, in the aftermath of an armed conflict.
Who is responsible for Costa Rica’s defense today?
The Fuerza Pública, the civilian police, is responsible for maintaining public order and patrolling the borders. The OIJ conducts criminal investigations, and specialized units handle drug trafficking, coast guard duties, and tourism security. To address external threats, the country relies on international law and the Organization of American States.
Is Costa Rica a safe country to travel to?
Yes, under the usual conditions for travel in Latin America. This country, which has no standing army, remains the highest-ranked in the region: the 2026 Global Peace Index ranks it first in Central America and 62nd out of 163 countries. Drug-related violence is concentrated in specific neighborhoods, away from tourist routes. Travelers should be particularly vigilant against opportunistic thefts from rental cars.
Where can you see evidence of the abolition of the army?
At the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica in San José, housed in the former Bellavista Barracks, whose walls still bear bullet holes from 1948. The Plaza de la Democracia y la Abolición del Ejército, directly across the street, has been home since 2016 to a sculpture dedicated to José Figueres Ferrer.
How do Costa Rica and Panama differ on this issue?
Both countries operate without armed forces, but their histories differ. Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948 through an internal political decision. Panama disbanded its armed forces in 1990, following the U.S. intervention in December 1989, and enshrined this in its constitution in 1994.
Is December 1 a public holiday in Costa Rica?
It has been an official commemorative day since a 1986 executive decree, known as Army Abolition Day. It is marked by school and institutional ceremonies, without a military parade, but it is not listed among the paid holidays on the Costa Rican calendar.
Does money from the military still fund education and healthcare?
There is a clear long-term correlation: life expectancy stands at 81 years, and literacy exceeds 97%. However, the constitutional minimum of 8% of GDP for education has not been met for years, with less than 5% allocated in the 2026 budget. The model remains a subject of debate within the country itself.
Understanding Costa Rica Through Its History
Visiting a country without an army changes the way you view it. The 1948 decision not only explains Costa Rica’s democratic stability—it also sheds light on the importance placed on education, national parks, and diplomacy. It gives meaning tothe “pura vida”thatTicos use all day long, and helps us understand what the country has built in place of its barracks.
At Terra Caribea,our team based in San Josédesigns custom trips that incorporate this historical perspective, from the Museo Nacional to the villages of theCentral Valley. Discoverour tours in Costa Ricaor combine your trip with anature and culture itinerary from Panama to Costa Rica. For a personalized itinerary,write to us: we’ll respond within 48 hours.
Sources
- UNESCO, Registre Mémoire du monde — « Abolition de l’armée au Costa Rica », inscription 2017
- Assemblée législative du Costa Rica — Décret exécutif n° 17357 (1986), Journée de l’abolition de l’armée
- Museo Nacional de Costa Rica — Historique du Cuartel Bellavista, horaires et conditions de visite (2026)
- Cour internationale de Justice — Arrêts du 16 décembre 2015 et du 2 février 2018, Costa Rica c. Nicaragua
- Institute for Economics and Peace — Global Peace Index 2026
- OCDE — Panorama de la santé 2025, note pays Costa Rica
- Programa Estado de la Nación — Informe Estado de la Educación, 2025
- Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) — Informe de Labores 2025
- Banco Central de Costa Rica — Billet de 10 000 colones et monnaie commémorative de l’abolition
Article rédigé et mis à jour en juillet 2026 par l’équipe de Terra Caribea, agence locale francophone basée à San José, membre du réseau Terra Panamerica.
